For The Archive
by Majorrogue
Summary: Santana's mundane lonely life is changed when a beautiful enchanting stranger enters her life. Set in the distant future. Written as an account of their meeting for the archives - Scifi/fantasy Brittana AU - Originally written/posted to LJ July 2012
1. Chapter 1

**For The Archive**

_Thank you for coming, could you please start by telling us what happened that first day_

**The Bar Tender**

I was at working and I didn't notice her walk up to the bar, what got my attention was when she reached for one of the packages of water, she looked at it as if she didn't really know what it was, she shook it a little, then looked up at me and smiled slightly. I didn't register that she was walking away with it until all I could see was her back. I was distracted by her, I had never seen anyone like her in my life. Her hair was golden, her clothes a strange bright, yet dark green and she was taller than anyone around her, so she definitely stood out.

As soon as I realised she was stealing the water I quickly ran through the narrow entrance to the small square bar I worked at and went after her. She really hadn't gone far when I grabbed her wrist. She turned to me looking a little confused and more innocent than I had seen even a child look.

"You can't just take that" I said. My boss would fire me if I just let stock get taken and I really need a job.

She just stood there and looked at me. Not showing any kind of sign that she understood me.

"You have to pay for it…." Still she looked blank, but she never looked away, except for when two enforcers came along

"Is there a problem here" One of their faceless masks said in a mechanical voice. She looked at them just as dumbfounded as she was with me, but looked them up and down.

I didn't know anything about her or who she was, but I didn't want her to get in trouble with the enforcers, no one needed that. "No there's no problem"

They said nothing else and just walked away down the dark street.

She looked at me again; I still had hold of her arm. "You need to pay…. Money? Currency? Come on, my boss'll go mad" I sighed "Money? Credit? Chit? Coin?" I asked

The last one seemed to get her attention, she lifted her head in recognition and pushed the cloak she was wearing to one side and rummaged underneath it. She moved over to the bar and placed the water package on it, then pulled out a small pouch. She rummaged in it then pulled out a coin.

She looked at me with a look that asked if it was okay, she spoke but I didn't understand the language. She spoke again and there was one word I understood "coin". I looked at it; it wasn't our currency and not a currency I recognised. It looked as if it was made of pure gold. They used to use that kind of thing centuries ago, but through time and technology, coins had become something only the lowers used and they'd become less and less pure.

She looked at me, raised her eyebrows and smiled slightly. I nodded to indicate it was okay.

She watched me as I went back to the bar then she sat down on one of the stools around the bar. I put the coin in my pocket and took out enough coin of my own to pay for her drink, what she had given me was worth far more than just one drink of water and I wasn't going to let my boss have it. I saw that the woman was having trouble figuring out how to open the package and get the water out, which I found strange, but I helped her open it.

She watched me work for about an hour and a half, through the after work rush. I saw her looking around taking in the people and surroundings.

As the amount of people started to thin out she stood, reminding me of her height, smiled at me and walked away.

**The Warrior**

I ran as fast as I could to get away from the advancing enemy. I had no weapons and was trying to find one on the way. As I reached a large fallen tree I found a bow and a couple of arrows. I climbed on top of the tree trunk and could see the enemy advancing through the dense forest.

I readied the bow, but found that it was damaged, it snapped as I pulled it to full stretch. As the enemy got closer and closer, I heard voices behind me and turned to see my friends and fellow fighters.

I jumped down from the huge tree trunk and joined them.

It didn't take long to rid us of the enemy forces that were approaching. When we had we quickly and as quietly as possible returned to one of our hide outs. Being so far from home we had to find safe havens.

The closest one to us was hidden in a dark corner surrounded by trees so tall you wondered if anyone had ever seen the top of them. The entrance was behind a large tree root bundle, we called it the warren. Inside we made our way down a number of tunnels, making sure we went down the correct ones and not down any of the many decoy's we had made which ended up in one or two dangerous destinations.

After being stuck earlier without any weapons and the one that I did managed to find being damaged, I made my way to the armoury. I was greeted and asked the normal pleasantries, but was in no mood for it. I immediately let out my anger on the blacksmith. He bowed and apologised.

"I will make it up to you" He said

"You will. You will make me a sword, a knife and a bow. It will be your finest work, equal to no other" I demanded

I rested for some days after that attack. By the time we had found the enemy again, my weapons were ready.

The blacksmith ushered me into the forge and to a table that was covered with a gold cloth.

"I have worked night and day on these for you, my lady, I hope that they meet your requirements" He said and pulled the cloth from the table.

Underneath it the three weapons were laid out. Even in the low light of the underground forge they shone.

I admit, I think they are the finest weapons I have ever wielded; the sword has a curve to the blade and a longer handle than usual. The handle itself had a retractable strap, so that it could be carried over the shoulder, a very useful addition when you are running quickly over very rough terrain. The knife was also longer than a normal knife and had the same curve to it that the sword has, in fact it could be said that it was designed as a smaller version of the sword except that it has a small scabbard with it.

Next to them lay the bow. It looked to me to be something a king would use. The detailed workmanship was like nothing I have seen. The gold of the bow had green leaves seemingly growing up it. The weight of it surprised me; I was expecting it to be far heavier. It is the sign of fine craftsmanship that it weighed so little.

"They are exceptional" I told the blacksmith "When this war is over, you will be rewarded"

He bowed and placed the weapons into a green satchel. I placed it over my head; the colour matched my tunic which helped it blend in with our surroundings outside.

Some hours later myself and four others were out patrolling when we heard an unrecognisable sound. We all stopped and tried to figure out where it had come from. Suddenly there was what seemed to be an explosion about 100 strides from us. Then came the sound again and another explosion this time closer.

We all quickly started to run in the direction we had come, but the explosions kept coming. I cannot say who said it but as we were running someone mentioned that they had now broken the laws of war and I agreed.

Weapons like that, that can kill a number of people at once and used from a safe distance are forbidden, if they have done this then what else were they capable of doing?

As the explosions got closer you could see that they were in fact large boulders that hit the ground with such power and speed that it seemed to make the ground explode.

One hit the ground in front of us making us change our direction. Another hit so close to me that it blew me off my feet. Some smaller trees started falling around me as another boulder hit close by.

To protect myself I scrambled into a nearby hollowed out fallen tree trunk. I thought I was safe there, but mud and a small tree blocked my exit, as I sat there I could hear large objects hitting the outside of the tree. Then a larger tree crashed through the section in front of me.

If this bombardment continued my hiding place wouldn't last long.

My only form of escape and the only way for me to survive was to use the device.

And that is exactly what I did.


	2. Chapter 2

_Please, continue…_

**The Warrior**

I took the device from its fastenings under my tunic and turned it on. Some lights flashed in the darkness and it made mechanical noises, the kind of noises I have been told technology makes, after a moment the main red light shone brightly.

As more rubble started hitting my hiding place I pressed the device to the inside of the tree trunk. An oval of light appeared from the bottom of the square device. The colour slowly turned to black with a white outline and I knew it had connected to somewhere. As quickly as I could I crawled through the connection, carefully pulling the device through behind me.

The place I ended up was just as dark as the place I had left, but was a lot quieter. As my eyes started to adjust it was still very dark but I could make out people. They were all sitting or lying against walls that seemed to make up a corridor of some sort.

I looked up to see if I was in a building of some sort, but I was in fact outside. The walls were the height of a tree of at least 15 cycles and were about my height apart from each other.

When I looked to my right I could see nothing beyond four or five people on the ground, but to my left in the distance I could see light. I decided to make my way towards it.

It took me a while to get there, although I wasn't rushing as I was still a little tired from running only a few minutes ago. When I did reach the end of this corridor I had to wait for my eyes to adjust to the brightness. When they did I was greeted by what I believe the elders would call a metropolis.

There were many people walking to and fro, most of them seemed to be rushing somewhere. There were artificial lights everywhere and more noise than I can remember hearing so many people make.

There were people shouting from the front of buildings filled with things that I now know they were selling.

I walked to my left, as it seemed that more people where walking in that direction and after a small while it opened up into a covered court yard of sorts. The court yard was separated into small sections, some had seats in them, but many had small horse shoe shaped tables with seats around the outside and a person in the middle. All around the area there were bright artificial lights in many different colours and in the walls there were strange large objects spinning behind a glassless window.

I walked around to try to see what else was there, at one of the tables I saw a container of what looked like water. I hadn't eaten or drunk anything for at least six hours so I took a closer look. On closer inspection it was indeed water. There was a beautiful young woman, who seemed to be around my age behind the table. She looked at me and I smiled took the water and turned around. I suddenly felt someone take hold of my arm. I turned to see the same woman, I didn't know why she had grabbed me and when she spoke I was none the wiser. The language I heard was not one that I recognised, but she kept speaking.

She then turned to speak to what seemed to be mechanical men. I understood none of the exchange between them but after a moment they walked off.

The woman spoke again and this time I understood one word: "Coin". I then realised she wanted payment for the water. I thought it must be a very strange place that charges for something as readily available as water. But as I was in a different land I followed their customs and gave her the smallest coin I had. "Is this enough?" I asked, but she didn't seem to understand, she just examined the coin "Is it enough coin?" I tried again. She looked at me with a look of confusion, but nodded and went back to the table.

As I had paid her for the drink I took a seat at her table, I suppose I could have sat at any of the tables but the way she had looked at me made me think that she was a good person, so I stayed at hers.

It felt nice to sit down. I tried to drink the water I had just acquired, but found its container difficult to open. The woman the other side of the table opened it for me and smiled sweetly. It confirmed with me that she was indeed a kind person.

I sat for a while watching what the woman was doing and looking around at the strange place I now found myself. It was so noisy, dark and dirty, everyone seemed to be rushing around, it was very different from my land. We live with nature and I had so far seen none at all here, technology is something only the elders know tales about. There is so little technology left at home that most of it is kept by the elders for safe keeping. The device I have been entrusted with is only given to me because of the status my family has and it is only to be used in extreme circumstances.

Thinking this reminded me that I had to make sure the device was still working. I didn't know if it would work in this place or if it still worked at all. I had to make sure it would be able to connect back to home.

I stood, smiled at the woman behind the table and walked back to where the corridor I arrived in was. I found a space, sat against the wall and took out the device.

**The Bar Tender**

I finished my shift and signed out. I work different hours to most people, I finish work as the sun starts to rise and most people are starting to leave for work.

I was walking back to my room when I saw the beautiful blonde woman from the bar, she had just come out of beggars alley. I was surprised, the alley is known for all the homeless, drunks and killers that hide or live down there and I was pretty certain this woman was none of those things.

I watched her as she walked along the shop fronts and food venders looking in every window and looking at all of the food.

As she looked like she was from out of the city I thought I should help her, I didn't want her getting mixed up with any of the people who are associated with beggars alley, so I walked up to her

"Are you hungry?" I asked forgetting she didn't speak the language.

She smiled when she saw it was me, but then said nothing.

"You were looking at all the food, are you hungry?" I tried again this time I made hand movements, putting my hand up to my mouth and pretending to bite into something then rubbing my stomach.

I felt like a fool until she looked like she understand me, smiled brightly and nodded

"Come on" I said taking her hand "We'll go to my favourite" she followed me willingly.

When we got there we sat outside and I ordered what I sometimes treat myself to when I have extra credit and she seemed happy enough.

I watched her eating; she took pleasure in every bite. With her last spoonful she looked at me and smiled the most beautiful smile and hummed her satisfaction.

As I look back at it now I think this is where my attitude towards her changed, she was so happy and looked more beautiful than I thought was possible. The thought of anyone hurting her or taking advantage of her for being a stranger made me angry and protective.

We sat in silence for a minute or two, I didn't really want to leave her, not only because she was from elsewhere but… because I enjoyed her company. I know we didn't or couldn't really speak to each other but, even when she was watching me earlier at the bar, I found her presence reassuring and comfortable as if I have known her for a long time.

"Do you have anywhere to go?" I asked slowly "Do you want to come back to my room to rest?" again she looked at me not understanding so I mimed. I put my hands together and laid my cheek on them as if I was sleeping and then pointed at her. Asking a stranger back to my room isn't something I would normally do, few of my friends have even seen my room, but she shouldn't be going down beggar's alley for anything.

She nodded and smiled and spoke again

To me it didn't sound like she said no so I stood up and pointed to our right in the direction that I live. I started to walk away and she followed me


	3. Chapter 3

_Please carry on.._

**The Warrior**

Her home was small in comparison to what I am used to but it had everything in it that you would need to live.

As you walked in there was a bed big enough for one person, if you were laying in it your feet would be pointing towards the door and your head would be against a long wall that had a window the whole length of it.

I was distracted by the view.

It was like nothing I had ever seen, nearly all I could see was buildings, great dark buildings with artificial lights flashing on them even with the sun shining this new place still looked dark and dirty. I think I was higher than I have ever been in my life, even when I was dared to climb the tree in the temple arboretum. I pressed my head against the glass of the window and looked down but still couldn't see the ground beneath us.

When I pulled myself away from the view the woman was looking at me smiling, I smiled back and kept looking around.

Underneath the window there was a small table and a long padded seat that at least two people could sit on. There was a small doorway into a room that had washing facilities in. As I turned back into the room the woman had sat down on the long seat and watched me look around.

In the wall with the door in there was an indentation that had plates and cups in. At the other end of the room there was a desk with lots of paper and books on and to the left of that was a wall of cupboards and shelves.

For one person to live in it was a nice room, although I would of course prefer to be home.

When I turned back to the woman on the seat she had leaned back and fallen asleep. She must have been very tired to fall asleep so quickly, but she looked very peaceful. From seeing where she works and the time she seemed to be there, I thought she must have quite a hard life and all she had was a small room for one person. Considering she had been so nice to me I thought I was strange.

I decided she didn't look comfortable, so i removed the blanket from the bed, picked her up carefully and placed her in the bed covering her with the blanket.

** The Bar tender**

When I woke up I was in my bed, which I didn't remember getting into. I looked around the room and saw the woman's green cloak laying neatly on the sofa and a long bag laying along with it. I looked around and found her sitting at my desk leaning over something.

I got out of bed and moved over to the sofa to see what the bag was; I hadn't even seen her carrying anything let along such a big bag.

As I leant over it she said something pretty loudly. It stopped me in my tracks and I looked at her.

She had come over to where I was standing and smiled at me then leant down speaking. She had moved the bag and started opening it. She looked up and me and pushed me back a bit.

I was pretty confused, but it all became clear when she took out what was in the bag.

There was the most beautiful bow I had ever seen, it was so bright and shiny, not like the things I'd seen in museums when I was a kid. Then she removed a long sword that was just as bright and beautiful, the blade looked like it could cut through anything that was in it's way. Then lastly a small knife, she took the cover off of it and looked practically the same as the sword, but smaller.

As I leaned in closer I put my hand out to touch the sword, but she took hold of my hand and shook her head and said something. I looked at her and assumed she was worried about me touching them. Her concern made me wonder why someone like her would be carrying these weapons around with her if they were so dangerous.

Then I realised that I don't know this woman, I don't know her name, I don't know where she'd come from or why she was here, she certainly didn't seem to fit in at all. She was like no one here, like no one I had ever seen; she must be from somewhere far away, why did she have a sword with her? But still, the look she gave me wasn't one of anger or aggression or malice, it was of concern, how could someone concerned about me hurting myself be someone who carried weapons like that around.

She must have seen the worry on my face because she stood up and started talking and gesturing towards the weapons, of course I didn't know what she was saying, but her tone wasn't harsh, it seemed to me like she was trying to explain something.

As she spoke she moved over to my desk and pointed at the thing she had been leaning over earlier. It looked like she had taken a small machine apart.

She kept talking and made a strange hand gesture and made a whooshing sound then looked at me. She smiled then spoke again and reached out and placed her hand on my cheek. It was the last thing I was expecting and it took me by surprise, it was such an intimate thing to do. For a second the outside world disappeared.

**The Warrior**

When she slept I worked on the device and realised that the power cell was drained and not recharging. I needed to find some sort of way to recharge it so that I could connect back home.

When she woke a long time later she seemed to want to look in my bag. I was weary of her looking in there as my weapons were stored in there, I didn't really want her putting her hand in blindly and hurting herself. I told her to be careful and she turned to look at me with a confused look. I admit I probably said it too loudly.

I showed her my new weapons and she seemed mesmerised, then she looked as though she was contemplating something. I assumed she was wondering why I had them, which is understandable.

I tried to explain that the device had brought me here from where I came from and the weapons were useful there. I told her that I was glad it had brought me there because I had met such a nice beautiful person. I was a little pleased that she did not understand me; it isn't something I would say to someone I had met only a little while ago, but it was how I felt.

When she had to leave for work some time later I went with her. I thought that I might be able to find something on one of the stall around where she worked to recharge the device. As we walked I looked around but found nothing.

When we reached her table there was a big woman with short black hair behind the table.

She spoke to the woman for a little while and the new woman kept repeating the same word "Santana" and every time she did the woman I knew said "yes" I didn't know what either of these words meant at the time, but when the woman had stopped talking and was about to leave she said "Santana" again and the woman turned to her and said "Yes" It then dawned on me that it was her name.

When the black haired woman left I said Santana and unconsciously the woman turned around and said "yes"

She smiled at me and I said it again pointing at her. She nodded and put her hand on her chest and repeated the word.

I then did the same saying my name; Brittany.

For something so small we both smiled and laughed a little. At last now we knew each other's names.

I decided to leave a little while after an incident at the tables Santana worked at; I was sitting watching her work, when two men at the other end of the table started shouting. When Santana gave them more drinks, which is what I assume they were shouting about, one of them grabbed her arm over the table. He pulled her towards him and said things that were in a tone I did not like.

Santana's face was angry and she tried to pull her arm away but the man would not let go and turned to his companion and started laughing. Santana said something to him and tried to pull her arm away again. The man would not let her go.

I got up and made my way over to where they were seated.

"Let go of her arm" I told the man. He looked at me and said something, but did not let go, so I took hold of his arm

"Let her go" I asked again. When he didn't I gripped his arm. He looked at me questioningly and I gripped harder. As I kept gripping his face started to contort with pain. After a few more beats he released Santana's arm and screamed a little until I decided to let go.

He and his friend shouted some things at me which I presumed were not kind, then quickly left.

Santana still stood where she had been while he had hold of her and was holding her arm. I motioned to her to give me her arm so that I could make sure she was ok. She did so without saying a word and without taking her eyes off of me.

I examined her arm, there was no real injury, but I suspected that it would bruise. I noticed that as I was holding her arm and her hand to examine in she had taken hold of my hand and held it softly. I looked up at her and smiled, I liked the feel of her hand in mine.

"Do you have to deal with that sort of behaviour all the time?" I asked knowing full well she didn't understand. "I will never let anyone hurt you" I smiled at her again and she smiled back

She looked as if she might say something when she was interrupted by the same woman from earlier. There was lots of talking between the two and a lot of gesticulating. The woman then turned to me and asked something. I said noting as I didn't know what the exchange was about. There were more exchanges between the two, she then pointed at me and left.

Santana looked at me with a guilty look on her face and I realised that it was about what had just happened and what I had done. I thought it best for Santana that I left and went back to her room.

I tried to explain using hand movements what I was intending to do. Happily she understood and gave me a small piece of something. I looked at it for a moment and realised that it was what she had used to open the entrance to her room.

I thanked her with a small bow of my head and a smile and left her.

On my way back to her room I searched more places for a way of charging the device. And luckily on a stand selling fruits, leaves and roots, I did.


	4. Chapter 4

_and after that, what happened?_

**The Bar Tender**

When I got to my door after my shift I could hear voices in my room. I became a little concerned because only Brittany was meant to be in there.

When I entered I found Brittany talking with a woman and a man. They were all standing in the middle of my room. Both of these new people had the same kind of clothes as Brittany and they were also both blonde.

Brittany turned around and smiled brightly at me. She held out the machine that had been on my desk earlier and spoke still smiling. Her smile went slightly when I didn't reply.

She then shook her head and pointed to the new woman "Quinn" she said then pointed to the man "Samuel"

Then looking at them she pointed at me and spoke, the sentence had my name in it so I assume she telling them who I was.

Samuel and Quinn both bowed slightly at me.

"What's going on Brittany?" I asked.

These people were obviously from the same place as Brittany, but how had they got here and why were they here in my room?

She started talking and walked over to my desk. On there were some small tools and some strawberries. None of it helped me understand what was going on. Strawberries were one of the most expensive fruits you could buy, the last time I had had them was when I was a small child and yet she had a bowl full of them. Some of them had been cut in half and didn't look quite right.

Brittany was still talking. She turned to my wall and placed the machine she had against it. When she let it go it stayed stuck to the wall, she then pressed some buttons on it and a large oval of light came out of it then sort of flashed and suddenly all I can see through it was trees.

More tree's than I have ever seen in my life and so green and bright. I imagined it was what the countryside used to be like hundreds of years ago.

I stepped back away from it, how had she made this appear in my wall?

She put her hand on my shoulder in a reassuring way and smiled.

Quinn said something to her and then stepped through the wall into the landscape. Then Samuel did the same. I could see them through the oval, their hair blowing in the wind.

She must have seen the confusion on my face because she put her hand on my cheek and lifted my head so I was looking at her. She then spoke softly to me, let me go and moved towards the tree's in the wall and smiled.

I realised then that this is where she had come from and that she was about to go back. I rushed towards her and held her hand tightly

"No, please don't go…. please" I begged "Please.. you've… you've made my life….. brighter, happier, please….Brittany, don't leave"

She looked at me for what felt like ages. She looked sad and when she moved slightly towards the wall I quickly pulled her towards me, reached up and kissed her. To my delight she didn't pull away, she kissed me back, placing her arms around me.

When she pulled away she touched my face again and walked to the wall, looked back at me and stepped through the hole to the forest.

I didn't see how the hole closed or disappeared because I was crying and turned away so she wouldn't see.

**The Warrior**

Quinn had reached through and pulled the device through after us and switched it off. Samuel and her walked in front of me and said nothing as I cried.

Within a few moments we were standing outside the great city entrance.

Quinn had told me earlier that the war had been won by us, but that everyone had thought I had been killed. It was only when I had tested that the device worked with the juice of the red berry that they knew what must have happened.

I was surprised that the war had been won so quickly, I had only been gone for a couple of cycles, but Samuel explained that the Great Nations had intervened when it was known that the enemy had broken the laws of war.

I was glad it had ended so quickly. If it had lasted longer, then my younger sister would have had to have taken my place if my family thought I was dead, and I did not want her experiencing war.

I was taken to where our family were. They were pleased to see me and Samuel and Quinn were congratulated for finding the connection the device had made and of course finding me there.

I had to explain to everyone what had happened and what I had experienced. All this did was remind me of Santana and her face as I had left.

For the rest of the cycle all I could think of was her and that I missed her so.

As I lay in my bed I couldn't sleep, so I decided there was only one thing I could do. I got dressed took the device and left my room.

**The Bar Tender**

That night I fell asleep crying. Brittany had made the last few days happy and exciting. I have been living such a boring and monotonous life, then she came along and turned it upside down. And just like that she leaves.

When I woke the next morning I knew that I just had to get back to how my life was and forget that this beautiful stranger had come into it.

I went to the bar the same as I do every day. I had to put up with the same scum as I always do, but my mind would always go back to her, I'm sure that if there were any blonde people left here on earth every one of them would remind me of her.

At the end of my shift I left, taking a drink with me, I don't normally drink alcohol, especially after what it did to my family, but I knew that I would need it as I sat in my room on my own.

**The Warrior**

I didn't know how late or early it was, as it always seemed dark in some way, so I sat on the seat under the window.

It was only a short time before she opened the door and walked in.

At first she didn't see me, she came in shut her door and threw some things on her bed, she then turned on the light and turned quickly in my direction and froze.

I stood up and walked over to her, she stared at me until I placed my hand on her cheek, then she closed her eyes

"I can only think of you" I said, she opened her eyes and looked at me

I smiled "come with me"

She placed her hand over mine and smiled

I moved to the other side of her room and placed the device on the wall. She stepped towards me with a look of fear. I turned the device on and she took my hand and pulled it toward her.

When the view in the connection was my home again I turned to her and smiled

"Santana, Brittany" I said and pointed through the connection

She looked a little confused, so I tried again

I placed my hand on her chest "Santana" then took her hand and placed it on my chest "Brittany" then pointed again through to the forest.

She stepped a little closer

"You can come back at any time" I said

As she got closer to me, I leaned down and kissed her and holding her hand moved closer to the device, this time she followed.

With a final smile and her hand in mine I stepped through the connection with her following.

Fin.


End file.
